Observation of the said three places, and of the mode in which the planets ruling them may be constituted, is wholly indispensable: it must be seen whether all, or most of them, may be constituted masculinely or femininely; and prediction must, of course, be regulated in conformity with their disposition, so observed; as tending to produce a male or female birth.
The masculine or feminine nature of the stars is to be distinguished in the manner already pointed out in the commencement of this treatise.[131] For instance, by the nature of the signs in which they are situated, by their relative position to each other, and also by their position towards the earth; as when in the east, they are masculinely disposed, and, when in the west, femininely. Their relative position to the Sun also affords guidance in distinguishing them; since, if they should be matutine, they are considered to signify the male gender; and if vespertine, the female. Thus, from the sex chiefly prevalent, as observed by these rules, that of the native may be rationally inferred.
CHAPTER VIII
TWINS
With respect to the probability of the birth of twins, or a greater number at once, the same places must be observed, as those mentioned in the preceding chapter; that is to say, the places of both luminaries and the ascendant.
When two, or all three, of the said places may be situated in bicorporeal signs, births of this kind will occur, in consequence of the combination which then arises; especially, provided all the planets, which control those places, should also be similarly circumstanced: or although only some of them be posited in bicorporeal signs, while the rest may be placed by two or more together. Because even more than twins will be born, in a case wherein all the ruling places may be in bicorporeal signs, most of the planets being, at the same time, posited in the same way, and configurated with them. The number of children, however, to be produced at the birth, is to be inferred from the planet which exercises the right of determining the number[132]: and the sex or sexes are to be predicted by means of the planets in configuration with the Sun, Moon, and ascendant.
And, should the position of the heavens be arranged so that the angle of the mid-heaven, and not that of the ascendant, may be connected with the luminaries, there will, in that case, be produced, almost always, twins; and sometimes even more.
To speak, however, more particularly, three males will be born, as in the nativity of the Anactores,[133] when Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars may be configurated with the places before appointed, in bicorporeal signs; and three females, as in the nativity of the Graces, when Venus and the Moon, with Mercury femininely constituted, may be configurated in like manner. When Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus may be configurated, two males and one female will be born; as in the nativity of the Dioscuri[134]; and, when Venus, the Moon, and Mars may be so configurated, two females and one male; as in the nativity of Ceres, Core, and Liber.[135]
In cases of this kind, however, it most usually happens that the conception has not been complete, and that the children are born with some remarkable imperfections or deformities. And, in some instances, owing to a certain concurrence of events, these numerous productions are quite extraordinary and amazing.
CHAPTER IX
MONSTROUS OR DEFECTIVE BIRTHS
The same places, as those pointed out in the two chapters last preceding, are again to be considered, in inquiring into the probability of a monstrous or defective birth. For it will be found that, at a birth of this description, the luminaries are either cadent from the ascendant, or else not in any manner configurated with it; while, at the same time, the angles[136] are occupied by the malefics.